So I am standing at the end of aisle six at one of our local Walmarts last weekend visiting with a family from Water’s Edge about how they were planning on shopping for their recipient family, and a quick statement by the wife caught me off guard… at least when my slow-moving mind figured out the power of the statement. As you may have read here, our church engaged in an all-out weekend to serve our city with fierce intentionality. As a leader you hope that these chapters in the life of a church will somehow plant themselves deeply in the hearts and minds of the congregation so that the actual activity level begins to see a shift to things that really matter. You pray, work, plan and execute with this in mind, but many times what you bring to the venture is just to set the stage for God.
That was the case certainly last weekend. The project was simple – deliver food to families quietly in need. There at aisle six I realized that one of our families was benefitting differently than just about everyone else participating. You see, they had been the recipient of groceries from time to time in the last year and a half. How do I know this? The wife told me so. Right there… not whispering… not humiliated… just simply put. Their engagement in this project was a way to pay it forward so to speak, and they were blessed to be able to do it! Fortunately God has provided a job for the husband. The excitement and relief was noticeable, and the humility in which they were carrying out this ministry moment was just as palatable.
Sometimes, no, most times we need to experience the valley to appreciate the summit. I am glad that I was there with a ’set table’ for God to show himself in a quiet and powerful way.
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